Flacco was a 1st round pick, from Delaware, not a projected 2nd or 3rd round pick from schools with long and storied histories of failed NFL QBs. But obviously if you knew ahead of time that you were drafting the next Joe Flacco you have to take him.

TCIYM wrote:Who was the last Florida QB to have any success at the NFL level?

Florida State, not Florida.

I meant ANY Florida school ... the answer is either Rex Grossman or Daunte Culpepper, depending upon the definition of "success."

Who cares who the last Florida QB was to have success in the NFL?

Who was the last Miami of Ohio QB to have success before Big Ben? How about the last Tennessee QB to have success before Peyton Manning? What about the last great Purdue QB before Brees?

Yeah. I don't really care where they went to school. That really doesn't matter. There is really no "QB U" in college.

Things that I generally look at with incredible scrutiny are:

1) accuracy -- i don't care that a guy can hit an open receiver in stride 30 yards downfield. what I REALLY care about is his ability to hit a guy 15 yards downfield that was completely covered or when he puts the ball only where his receiver can get it -- and can do this on a consistent basis; not just every now and again.

2) OL -- while you shouldn't hold it against a QB if his OL is superior, it should be considered; a guy that has all day may have a slow trigger; these types of things can really cloud a lot of a QB's weaknesses when analyzing

3) leadership -- you want a QB that can stand on his own two feet. a guy that can win in desperate situtaitons and always shows up to play. also, a guy that the players tend to center around. A true leader is one that sacrafices for his guys.

4) awareness/intelligence -- you want a guy who is smart, easily understands playbooks, and can make quick decisions.

5) arm strength, height -- i consider this less important than most, but there is a certain NFL standard. the DBs and LBs in the NFL are infinetley faster than in college and you have to have the arm to make up for that. For height, you just have to be able to see over your lineman. Just simple logistics.

6) consistency -- a guy that brings it everyday

IMHO, those are the most important traits in an NFL QB. I don't care where you went to school.

Nobody said there was a "QB U." What I said was that Florida school QBs have a long and storied history of failure in the NFL. When Rex Grossman and Daunte Culpepper are the last two Florida QBs to have played for any length of time with any measure of success it's rather difficult to argue. Could there be an exception? Of course. But to expect that exception to be a projected 2nd or 3rd rounder who has questionable arm strength is a stretch.

TCIYM wrote:Nobody said there was a "QB U." What I said was that Florida school QBs have a long and storied history of failure in the NFL. When Rex Grossman and Daunte Culpepper are the last two Florida QBs to have played for any length of time with any measure of success it's rather difficult to argue. Could there be an exception? Of course. But to expect that exception to be a projected 2nd or 3rd rounder who has questionable arm strength is a stretch.

I am no QB expert, but I expect to see Ponder in that long and storied history of failure in the NFL for Florida school QB's. I just don't see him as worth our second round pick.

I think Ponder will make a great NFL backup. He's smart and works hard, but he doesn't have a great arm and he isn't the most durable guy. He missed a good chunk of 2009 with a separated shoulder and in 2010 had problems with the elbow on his throwing arm.

If a player at any position can be considered to have been a "great back-up" player then he's most likely really helped the teams that he's been a part of - this is a team game and if you have played well enough to be considered a "great back-up player" when you leave the NFL, you've most likely been a really good player

SIGN HIM

P A T I E N C E - The Redskins will improve the product on the field if Dan Snyder just let's Scott & his FO do their jobs Dan needs to stop screwing things up and let Scott get this franchise back together